Last.



H. A. BALLARD.

LAST.

APPLICATION FILED HARM, 1909.

Patented Aug. 4, 1914.

, i sar-s rarissimi orme.

HARRIEA. BALLARD, F BOSTON,IWASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 THE BOYLSTON MFG. COMPANY, OF SOUTH BOSTON, MASSACIIUSETTS,I `A CORPORATIGNI 0F.NEW

JERSEY.

LAST.

Specification or' Letters Patent.

To all 'Lv/10m it may concern.'

Be it known that I, Hannie A. BALLARD,

of Boston, in-the county of Suffolk and of this invention is similar to the last illustrated in my (3o-pending application filed March 9, 1909, Serial No. 482,390. h

In the present invention the last comprises a heel-part and a forepart formed of two sections of which one section has sliding connection with the heel-part and of which the other section has sliding connection with its complemental forepart section. l The point of similaritybetween the present invention and that of the above-mentioned application lies in the form of connection between the forepart and heel-part.

The chief feature then of thelpresent invention is the forming of the forepart in two sections as aforesaid, and in providing' suitable connecting means by which they may be held in sliding relation one with the other.

Taken `as a whole the last `herein illustrated and described is adapted to be first shortened for the purpose of facilitating the withdrawal of the heel portion, and consequently the friction` incumbent upon the forepart by reason ofits snug lit in the shoe is sulicient to detain the relatively loose section of the forepart when the other section is withdrawn. The two sections of the forepart are divided on a line which is oblique tothe longitudinal. Consequently when one section is moved relativelyto the other by reason of the withdrawal of `one and the detention of the other, the aggregate width of the two sections is materially `decreased so that the two sections may then be withdrawn as a whole without crowding or "stretching the narrow portioni of the shoe commonly called the waist The means for connecting the two forepart sections provides for movement of the relatively movable section in a line which y conforms approximately to the mean curvature of the forepart of the shoe or last, thus enablingthe section first withdrawn to move according to the gcneralcurvature of the toe portion.

Of the accompanying `dranvings which illustrate one form in which the invention may be embodied, Figure 1 is a to plan View of a last of which a portion-is broken out. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of which a portion is brokenout. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the waist portion of the last including appropriate mechanism for locking the heel part with one of the forepart sections. Fig. 4c is a section on line 4--11 of Fig.` 2.

Patented Aug. 4c, 19141.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts wherever they occur.

The last comprises 10 and a forepart formed of two sections 11 and 12. The inner and the heel-part is connected directly with the section 11 by means of sliding interlocking tongue and groove portions 111 and 15. As here shown, the tongue 141-, is formed at the rear end of the section 11 and the groove 15 is formed in the front portion of the heelpart 10. The heel-part and forepart are divided on a plane which is inclined to a perpendicular transverse plane thus providing both faces 16 and 17 on which the two parts are adapted to slide with shortening effect. The rear end of the section 12 also abats against the heel portion when it is in closed position.

The means here shown for two sections 1l and 12 vcomprise a plate 18 secured by screws 19 in the `contiguous face of the member 11, and screws 2O extending through the slots 21 in. said plate and into the section 12. for the reception the face of the section. The section 11 is also provided with rabbetcd chambers 22 for thc reception of the heads of the screws 20. The heads engage the innerface of theplate and` thus hold the section 12 against the section 11 and at the same time ermit movement of the section 12 longituc inally of the plate. By reference to Fig. 2 it will be observed that the slots 21 are curved. The curvature of the slots is such as to guide movement of the section l2 to essentially a heel-part section or part 11 and the outer section or `part 12 are formed by `dividing the forepart on the line 13 which is oblique to the longitudinal line of the last,

connecting the The section 11 is rabheted of the plate 18 so that the' exterior face of the plate may he flush with conform to the mean curvature of the forepart of the last. rThe two forepart sections are assembled in the followingniaiinerzdTwo holes 23 and 24 are bored laterally through the sectionfll beginning respectively at the rear ends of the rabbeted chambers 22. The plate 1S is then attached to the section 11 and the screws are inserted through holes `25 and 24- and screwed into the section 12. After the insertion of the screws 20, the holes 23 and 2A are filled with plugs 25.

Suitablemechanism may y'be provided for locking the heel-part with the section 11.

I 7 In the socket 26 i's inserted a tubular An appropriate mechanism is shown in Figs.

2 and v3 and is installedvby iirst boring both parts when they are in closed sockets 26 and 27. holder 28 containing a plunger 29. yThe upper en d through position so as to provide of the holder 28 is open but the lower end is. partially closed by an end wall 'in which heelepart. For `the purpose of limiting the this purpose a hooked tool rmay be the section ofthe forepart in excess of the comparativelyA narrow waist of the shoe, thesectioiiv outward movement of the plunger the rear end of the stem may be pro-vided with a head 82 for engagement with the end wall of the holden The operation inremoving the last from a shoe is as follows: The heel portion is first `moved upwardly and forwardly upon the section 1l to shorten the last so that the heel portion may be readily withdrawn. For used first for pressing the locking plunger 29` out of the socket 2'( and then for drawing the heel portion'by its insertion in the said socket. The heelportion may then bek grasped and withdrawn bodily in a direction transverse to the abutting faces of the forepart and heel-part. Such withdrawal of the heelpart necessarily causes the withdrawal of ll, but by reason of the width 12 isdetained in the shoe after the section 11 begins to leave. The section 11 is guided toward the rearby the curvcdnslots 21 and when the forward ends ot' the slots engage the screws 20, the section 12 is moved bodily with. the sections 10 and 1l now partially withdrawn. At this time the aggregate vwidth ,of the forepart isso materially reduced by reason of the oblique movementl of thesection 1l that the orepart is enabled to pass through the waist of the 'shoeL with# out stretching or distorting the same andthe last is adapted to be freely withdrawn from the shoe. 1

Having thus explained the nature of. my I said invention and described a way of constructing and using the same although without attempting to; set forth all et the forms in which itmay be made or all of the modes of its use,`ldeclare thatwhat l claim is:`- A l. f

l. A last comprising a heelpart, and a by which the last maybe shortened,- a-nd of which the other section 'has sliding relation with its complemental section and is mov lable to and from engagement with the lieel` part.

forepart divided perpendicularly to the sole into two sections being slidably connected so thatone is relatively inovablein a path substantially parallel tothe mean longitudinal curvature of thel 'forepart dividedinv twosections of which y one has sliding connection with kthe heel-part.

2. Alast comprising a (heel-part and a 80 bothl of which yare adapted to abut against the heel-part, said sections.

tersecting the longitudinal median plane of the last, the rear ends ot theinner part and outer part of the orepart of the last being flush.`

e. A last comprising a forepart and heel-part, means tor' slidingly connecting said parts, said oreparteoinprising `an -in,

ner portion and an outer portion having their inner end faces 'abutting against theconfronting face of the heel-part, and hav-r longitudinal median line of 'said 'orepart,

inner and outerportions-of the 'forep'art l ing'eonfronting abutting faces oblique to the.

In testimony whereof 1 have affixed my` ,i

in presence of two witnesses.k

HARR'IE A. BALLARD.

Witnesses: f

GEO. TL ARMSTRONG, M. E., GAPEN.

signature7 Copies of4 this patent-maybe obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. i' 

